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| Center must initiate talks on autonomy, says Omar | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 5: As he moves confidently into his second year in office, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called upon the Center to initiate talks with Jammu and Kashmir on restoration of autonomy.
The Chief Minister, however, made it clear that he was not projecting grant of autonomy or restoration of pre-1953 status as a lasting solution of the Kashmir which, he said, should be worked out through dialogue. “I don’t favour one solution which may be opposed by other, I want there should be dialogue to find a way”, Omar told reporters on the sidelines of public functions at his official residence to mark one year of his government.
"Yes, I would like the Centre to initiate dialogue on the recommendations of the Justice Sagir Ahmed Committee in which he has said it is necessary for a sustained dialogue to find the political map that will best suit the requirements of the state. I think that something like it should be done," Omar said while expressing satisfaction over his first year in office.
To a question what would be his stand keeping in mind the manifesto of his party National Conference demanding for restoration of pre-1953 status of the state, he said "it’s not for me as the Chief Minister to favour one solution as opposed to others. I think what is important is that the dialogue process take places and a solution be worked out.
"What the contours of that solution will be is for time to show. As Chief Minister it would be wrong on my part to suggest that one solution is better than another. My party has a different line but that’s different," he said.
Asked about the demand by some of his ministers for restoration of pre-1953 status, Omar was clear in his stand. "I want the dialogue to be initiated. What course it will take is for the times to see. What we need is to build a consensus within all shades of opinion of the state."
Sitting in his office with well-wishers dropping by to greet him on completion of one year in the government, the 39-year-old Omar feels that the recommendations made by the Justice (retd) Sagir Ahmed working group set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh which favoured autonomy for the state needs to be given a serious thought.
Asked whether the initiative of talks with separatists including Hurriyat Conference would sustain, an optimistic Omar said, "I believe so because Home Minister (P Chidambaram) has shown himself to be very serious and is leading the dialogue himself from the front and I am hoping that the process will not only be sustained but will find a lasting solution."
To a question about his advocacy of talks with Pakistan, which has a shaky political establishment at present, he said "we can’t wait for things to stabilize there. The talks need to begin at the right earnest with however strong or weak the regime on that side of the border is."
Listing some of his achievements, Omar said "the high points during last one year, I think, were the improvement in the security environment, large number of tourists returning to the valley, the gradual effort made to reduce foot print of the security forces and the fact the Centre has once again started talks on a political level, different section of opinion from polity of Kashmir."
Omar still feels sad about the Shopian incident but refuses to delve into the controversy saying the matter was sub judice.
"Definitely without a doubt," was his reaction when asked whether Shopian was the lowest point of his last one year.
Omar said that he has miles to go still before he feels that he has done something for the people especially the youth of the state who, according to him, even lack the basic amenities enjoyed by others in the rest of the country.
When asked whether he has lived up to some of the expectations of people, he says "I don’t think it is possible for anybody to judge expectations and there realisation within one year of forming a government.
"We have been elected for a period of six years, I think its only fair that we wait for the term to conclude and let people deliver their judgment then," he said.
Omar said he had to a lot for the youth of the state who were lacking with basic amenities as enjoyed by youth in rest of India. "I need to give them power, education facility, roads, internet, employment...all this is still lacking in several parts of the state. They need to have proper amenities before I march with them into the 21st century."
And about the opposition party PDP, Omar refrained from saying anything about the role being played by them in the state. "Less said, the better it would be but I guess there’s more scope left by them in playing a constructive role for upliftment of the people of the state."
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